What Is Magick? Meaning, Definition, and How Witches Practice It Today
- Anya I
- May 20, 2025
- 13 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
What Is Magick? Living Life as a Modern Witch
When people ask me what magick is, I rarely answer in one sentence. Because magick is not just a spell or ritual practice. It is a way of seeing the world.
What is magick? Magick is the spiritual practice of using intention, energy, ritual, and symbolic action to create change within yourself and the world around you. It is commonly practiced in witchcraft, modern pagan spirituality, and ancient ritual traditions.
But magick is also something you feel.
It is the moment your senses wake up. When the world stops feeling flat and starts feeling alive again. When you begin noticing energy, Spirit, and subtle shifts moving through everyday life.
At its core, magick is about relationship. With yourself. With the natural world. With Spirit. With the unseen currents that move through everything.
In this guide, I’ll share what magick really means from a lived witch’s perspective. How it works through intention and ritual, how witches experience energy and Spirit, and how you can begin reconnecting with flow, intuition, and sacred presence in your own life.
Whether you’re new to witchcraft, curious about modern pagan spirituality, or feeling called back to your intuition, this space is for you.
So if you’ve ever felt drawn to something you couldn’t quite name…If you’ve ever sensed there was more to this world than what you were taught…If you’re ready to soften back into curiosity, embodiment, and connection…
Come walk with me.
Let’s talk about magick.
Table of Contents
Magick as a Way of Seeing: Feeling Energy and Living in Flow
How Does Magick Work? Intention, Energy, and Ritual Magic Explained
What Is Sympathetic Magic and How Do Witches Use the Natural World?
Calling Spirits in Witchcraft: Gods, Ancestors, and Divine Energy
Is Magick Supernatural or Psychological? Science, Spirituality, and Western Culture
Magick and Personal Growth: Self Development Through Witchcraft
Is Magick Dangerous or Evil? Ethics, Harm, and Responsibility
Final Thoughts: What Magick Really Means in Spiritual Practice
Frequently Asked Questions About Magick
Magic vs Magick: What’s the Difference?
Before we go deeper, let’s clear something up.
When I say magick, I am not talking about stage magic.
Stage magic is entertainment. Illusion. Performance. Sleight of hand.
Magick, spelled with a “k,” refers to spiritual and ritual practice. It is commonly used in witchcraft, modern pagan religion, and modern occult traditions to describe working with intention, energy, and symbolic action to create personal and energetic change.
The spelling “magick” was popularized by Aleister Crowley in the early 20th century to differentiate spiritual practice from theatrical magic. Many witches still use this spelling today for that reason.
In this post, when I say magick, I am speaking about the lived, embodied, spiritual practice of working with Spirit, energy, and awareness. Not illusion. Not fantasy. Not performance.
Now we can go deeper.
Magick as a Way of Seeing: Feeling Energy and Living in Flow
For me, magick is not just ritual magic or spell work. It is a way of seeing the world through a different lens.
It is the moment your senses wake up again, and suddenly you are experiencing life instead of just moving through it.
The smell of incense suddenly feels deeper. The warmth of candlelight softens your chest. The sound of wind through the trees feels like language. The Earth beneath your feet feels alive instead of inert.
This is where modern witchcraft becomes embodied.
Magick is not only about creating change. It is about learning how to feel energy moving through your body and through the world around you. It is the sensation of alignment. The quiet electricity of presence. The moment when you stop resisting life and begin moving with it.
There is a certain lust for life that grows when you practice magick this way.
Colors feel brighter. Music hits deeper. Touch feels more intentional. Even ordinary moments like washing dishes or walking outside become sacred because you are actually there for them.
I often describe this as entering flow.
Not forcing. Not striving. Just participating.
You feel yourself soften into the rhythm of the universe. Breath syncing with breath. Body syncing with Earth. Intention syncing with Spirit.
This is not something you read about. It is something you experience.
This is why witches speak about energy awareness, spiritual sensitivity, and intuitive perception. Over time, you begin to notice subtle shifts. The way your body responds to certain spaces. The emotional charge of certain thoughts. The energetic texture of a room.
Magick teaches you how to listen.
And when you listen, life becomes richer. Deeper. More alive.
This is the kind of magick that doesn’t just change outcomes. It changes how you inhabit your own life.
This way of seeing naturally opens another doorway.
If you’re new to witchcraft and want a grounded place to start, I share the foundations of modern spiritual practice in my beginner guide: Modern Witchcraft for Beginners.
The Whisper of Spirit: Magick in the In-Between
One of the first things magick taught me is how to listen.
Not with my ears, but with my body. With my intuition. With the quiet inner voice that doesn’t shout, doesn’t demand proof, and doesn’t always arrive neatly packaged in logic.
I call these the whispers of Spirit.
They live in the gray space. The in-between. Not positive or negative. Not black or white. Just subtle invitations. Gentle nudges. “What if” moments that ask you to pause and feel instead of rush past your own knowing.
This is where magick is born.
When you begin developing a spiritual practice, you start noticing these whispers more often. A thought that arrives out of nowhere. A feeling in your chest. A pull toward a certain place, book, person, or idea. These messages can’t always be proven or disproven, yet somehow they carry truth.
When I learned to lean into that mystery instead of dismiss it, life began to soften. And then it began to open.
That is the real initiation into witchcraft. Not spells first. Not tools first. But learning how to trust the quiet intelligence moving through you.
If repeating numbers or subtle signs show up in your life, that’s another common way Spirit communicates. I explain this more in my post on Angel Numbers and Their Meanings.
Magick as Personal Power and the Art of Being Alive
When people hear “magick with a K,” they often imagine fantasy. Teleportation.
Supernatural spectacle. Something separate from ordinary life.
But magick has never felt like that to me.
Magick is personal power.
It is your essence. The unique way you move through the world. The energy you carry into rooms. The impact you leave on people simply by being present.
Baking cookies for someone you love. Showing up with a thoughtful gift “just because.” Complimenting a stranger’s outfit. Holding space for someone when they are hurting. Letting your cup overflow with self love and then offering that overflow freely.
That is magick.
It is not flashy. It is not dramatic. It is deeply human.
And when you begin practicing magick consciously, something beautiful happens. Your senses sharpen.
Food tastes fuller. Music moves deeper. Colors appear brighter. Touch becomes intentional. You start inhabiting your body instead of living only in your head.
This is where joie de vivre enters.
That lust for life. That feeling of being in flow with the world around you. That sense that you are not separate from existence, but actively participating in it.
This is not escapism. It is embodiment.
When you start living this way, something else begins to happen.
If you feel energy deeply or absorb emotions easily, you may resonate with empath sensitivity. I break that down in What Is an Empath? A Beginner’s Guide.→
Synchronicity, Manifestation, and Everyday Magick
Have you ever thought about someone you haven’t spoken to in years, only to receive a message from them moments later?
Have you ever had a random image appear in your mind and then suddenly see it everywhere?
Have you ever spoken something casually and watched it manifest in unexpected ways?
These moments are often dismissed as coincidence.
But when you begin acknowledging the magick within them, something shifts.
You start noticing patterns. Alignments. Flow. Opportunities arriving with surprising ease. It can feel like stepping onto the fast track of life, where manifestation becomes less forced and more natural.
Not because you are controlling reality, but because you are finally paying attention.
And yes, there will be times when life feels heavy. Dark. Murky. Painful.
Magick is not about pretending otherwise.
It is about learning how to honor even the smallest spark of hope in the darkest seasons. A forced smirk. A gentle nod to Spirit. A quiet remembering that something greater still exists, even when you cannot see it clearly.
This is spiritual resilience. This is witchcraft in the real world.
Keeping the Magick Alive in a Modern World
When we stop believing in wonder, when we stop listening to Spirit, when we disconnect from intuition and presence, the world becomes dimmer.Not because magick disappears, but because we stop noticing it.
The work of a modern witch is not to escape reality.
It is to stay awake inside it.
To keep the connection with Spirit alive. To return to the whispers. To choose presence over numbness. To practice reverence in a fast, overstimulated world.
This is how magick becomes a way of life.
Not something you do once a month.
But something you carry into how you breathe, love, create, heal, and move through the world.
How Does Magick Work? Intention, Energy, and Ritual Magic Explained
When I first began practicing magick, I thought it was about “doing things right.” Saying the right words. Using the right tools. Following the right steps.
What I learned instead is this: magick works when you are present.
At its core, magick is about causing change through intention and focused energy, but not in a mechanical way. It is relational. Emotional. Sensory.
When I set intention, I do not just think it. I feel it in my body. I let it land in my chest. I breathe it into my cells.
Energy is not abstract to me anymore. It is the warmth in my palms when I pray. The subtle buzzing in my spine when I meditate. The soft expansion in my heart when something aligns.
Ritual magic simply gives this experience a container. Lighting a candle. Writing a petition. Anointing oil. Creating a spell. These actions tell your nervous system, your subconscious, and Spirit that something sacred is happening here.
Magick does not move without participation. You must show up. Feel. Listen. Respond.
This is not force. This is collaboration.
Moon magick is one of the easiest ways to begin working with ritual. You can explore my beginner-friendly approach in Moon Magick for Beginners.
What Is Sympathetic Magic and How Do Witches Use the Natural World?
One of the most grounding things witchcraft taught me is that magick is not separate from the Earth.
Sympathetic magic works on the principle that like influences like. It is ancient. Intuitive. Simple.
Plant seeds when you want growth.Burn herbs when you are ready to release.Work with water when you need cleansing.Light fire when transformation is calling.
The four elements (earth, air, fire, water) are not symbolic to me. They are teachers.
Earth reminds me to slow down and root.Air teaches breath and clarity.Fire ignites courage and movement.Water softens grief and emotion.
When you practice magick this way, your senses become portals. Smell, touch, sound, taste, breath. The natural world becomes part of your ritual, not just a backdrop.
This is how witchcraft returns you to belonging.
Calling Spirits in Witchcraft: Gods, Ancestors, and Divine Energy
Working with Spirit has never felt like summoning something external to me. It feels like remembering a conversation that never truly stopped.
Some days that looks like honoring gods and goddesses.Some days it is ancestor remembrance.Some days it is listening to my higher self.Other times it is simply opening to universal divine energy.
Calling spirits is not about command. It is about relationship. Reverence. Dialogue.
It is learning to listen as much as you speak.
This is where ritual becomes prayer. Where spell work becomes devotion. Where spirituality becomes something you feel in your bones, not just believe in your mind.
If you feel drawn to honor your ancestors and build a deeper relationship with Spirit, I walk you through a simple, respectful setup in my Ancestor Altar Guide →
Is Magick Supernatural or Psychological? Science, Spirituality, and Western Culture
I grew up hearing magick described as supernatural, occult, or even dangerous.
What I’ve experienced instead is that magick lives at the intersection.
Between psychology and Spirit.Between science and mystery.Between belief and behavior.
Magick works through intention, subconscious reprogramming, emotional energy, symbolic action, and spiritual awareness.
Science can explain how ritual affects the nervous system. Spirituality explains how energy and consciousness respond to attention. Together, they create something powerful.
Magick is not fantasy.
It is embodied awareness.
Magick and Personal Growth: Self Development Through Witchcraft
Witchcraft did not just change how I practice spirituality. It changed how I relate to myself.
Through magick, I learned how to:
Feel my emotions instead of suppressing them
Trust my intuition and psychic sensitivity
Build energetic boundaries
Cultivate self respect
Create conscious life change
This is why I see magick as self development disguised as ritual.
Every spell asks you to clarify your desires. Every ritual invites honesty. Every practice reflects your relationship with yourself.
Magick does not bypass growth. It demands it.
Using Magick for Manifestation, Wealth, and Drawing Money
Yes, magick can support manifestation, abundance, and prosperity.
I have worked with candle spells for wealth, prosperity rituals, intention setting for business growth, and energetic clearing around scarcity.
But here is the truth I always return to:
Magick opens doors. You still have to walk through them.
Energy creates momentum. Action creates reality.
Manifestation works best when desire meets devotion and intention meets embodiment.
If you want to work with manifestation in a cyclical, grounded way, I share my full process in Manifest With the Moon: A Lunar Manifestation Guide.
Is Magick Dangerous or Evil? Ethics, Harm, and Responsibility
Magick itself is neutral.
It becomes beneficial or harmful based on intent, awareness, and ethics.
This is why I emphasize responsibility in witchcraft. Consent. Integrity. Spiritual maturity.
Power without wisdom creates imbalance. Power rooted in compassion creates healing.
True magick does not dominate. It tends. It nurtures. It restores.
How to Practice Magick in Everyday Life as a Modern Witch
Magick is not limited to ritual circles, full moons, or altars.
It lives in everyday choices.
In how you speak.In how you breathe.In how you eat.In how you love.In how you move through the world.
For me, daily magick looks like lighting candles in the morning. Blessing my food. Walking slowly in nature. Letting beauty soften my nervous system. Letting Spirit guide my rhythm.
This is where joie de vivre returns.
When spirituality stops being rigid and becomes alive. When presence replaces pressure. When wonder becomes normal again.
This is living witchcraft.
Final Thoughts: What Magick Really Means in Spiritual Practice
Magick is not illusion. Not superstition. Not fantasy.
It is relationship.
With Spirit.With Earth.With yourself.With life itself.
It is the remembering that you are not separate from the universe, but woven into it.
When you live this way, magick is no longer something you chase.
It becomes something you embody.
⸻ ✧ ⸻
✧ The Journey Continues ✧
Join the community and subscribe to my free newsletter for seasonal reflections, rituals, and grounded spiritual practices shared in rhythm with the year —
✧ Support This Space ✧ If you’d like to support the ongoing costs of running this blog, you’re welcome to leave a tip via Buy Me a Coffee or explore my Etsy Shop for intentional merch and ritual pieces.
⸻ ✧ ⸻
Frequently Asked Questions About Magick
How do many practitioners define magic and magick?
Many practitioners define magic and magick as the art and spiritual practice of using intention, energy, ritual, and focused awareness to create change. Magick is often associated with witchcraft, modern pagan religion, and modern occultism, while “magic” is commonly used for entertainment or stage magic.
What is the difference between stage magic and ritual magic?
Stage magic uses illusion, performance, and sleight of hand for entertainment. Ritual magic(k) is a spiritual practice that uses ceremony, symbolic action, spell work, and energy focus to create personal or energetic change.
Does magick involve supernatural powers?
Some people describe magick as supernatural, while others see it as working with natural energy, consciousness, and spiritual forces. Many witches view magick as alignment with the divine nature of the universe rather than controlling external supernatural powers.
Is magick connected to modern pagan religion or occult traditions?
Yes. Magick is commonly practiced within modern pagan religion, witchcraft, and modern occultism. These traditions use ritual practices, divination, elemental work, and spiritual devotion to connect with Spirit, gods, and universal wisdom.
What is sympathetic magic and how is it used?
Sympathetic magic works on the principle that like influences like. Examples include burning herbs to release energy, using water for cleansing, planting seeds for growth, or lighting candles to symbolize transformation. It connects magickal workings directly to the natural world.
What role do the four elements play in witchcraft?
The four elements (earth, air, fire, water) represent foundational forces used in ritual and spell work. Earth represents grounding and stability, air represents breath and knowledge, fire represents power and transformation, and water represents emotion and healing.
Can magick be used to create change and manifest goals?
Yes. Magick is often practiced to create change, manifest intentions, attract opportunities, and support personal goals. Many witches use spells, ritual practices, visualization, and focused intention to align energy with desired outcomes.
Can magick help with wealth or drawing money?
Some practitioners use magick to support abundance, wealth, and prosperity. This may include candle spells, ritual work, intention setting, and energy clearing. Most witches believe magick works best when paired with practical action.
Does magick help with personal growth and self development?
Yes. Many people practice magick as a path of personal growth and self development. Witchcraft often supports emotional healing, self awareness, boundary work, confidence, intuition, and spiritual maturity.
Is psychic ability required to practice magick?
No. Psychic ability is not required. While some witches develop intuitive or psychic sensitivity, magick is accessible to anyone willing to practice focus, intention, awareness, and spiritual discipline.
Is magick dangerous, evil, or harmful?
Magick itself is neutral. It becomes beneficial or harmful depending on intent, ethics, and awareness. Responsible witches emphasize consent, clarity, and harm reduction in spell work and ritual practice.
Do witches work with Spirit, gods, and divine forces?
Some witches work with Spirit, gods, ancestors, or universal divine energy. Others focus on personal spirituality or nature-based practices. Calling spirits is usually approached as relationship and reverence, not control.
How does science view magick and spiritual practices?
Science explains some aspects of magick through psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral change. Spirituality explains magick through energy, consciousness, and intention. Many practitioners believe magick exists at the intersection of science and Spirit.
Is manifestation the same as magick?
Manifestation overlaps with magick but is not identical. Manifestation focuses on intention and mindset, while magick often includes ritual, spell work, symbolic action, and energy direction.
What is the safest form of magick for beginners?
Protection spells, grounding rituals, gratitude practices, cleansing rituals, and self-healing magick are often considered safe starting points for beginners.
What is magick vs magic?
The spelling “magick” was popularized by Aleister Crowley to differentiate spiritual practice from stage magic and illusion. Many witches continue using this spelling to honor that distinction.
Can magick change another person’s behavior?
Most ethical witchcraft traditions discourage manipulating others without consent. Many practitioners focus on self-focused magick, boundary setting, healing, and attracting aligned relationships instead.
How do you know when magick is working?
Signs may include emotional shifts, increased clarity, synchronicities, energetic alignment, or changes in opportunities. Results often appear gradually rather than instantly.
Comments